Of Love And Nargles
by FluffyNargles
Summary: Okay, so, when Harry is around, I can't really formulate a completely coherent sentence... Or eat anything without my elbow ending up in some kind of food — like a butter dish. But, that has nothing to do with the fact that I fancy him (because I don't). Like my dear (and completely non-loony) friend, Luna , says, it's all because of the nargles.
1. Chapter 1: In Which I Blush (A Lot)

It's always hard to concentrate when the boy who you've fancied the pants off of happens to be mere feet away from you. And, yes, I happened to have been in that very situation... _How nice. _

I'd resigned myself to the fate of 'never-being-more-than-friends' when it came to that green-eyed pillock, but even still, I got sweaty palms and blushed like mad whenever he was in the general vicinity. I'm quite a sad excuse for a person, aren't I?

So, yes, there I was, _ickle_ Ginny Weasley, sitting in the Hogwarts library, attempting to concentrate on my Charms homework. But it was basically a lost cause as the afore-mentioned boy meandered his way to the same table that I was sitting at.

"Hey Ginny," he said in a depressing voice. Well, I would probably be the same way if I was entered into competing in a highly dangerous and obscure tournament – against my will.

I looked up to see Harry Potter (The-Boy-Who-Lived, The-Boy-Who-Saved-Me-From-Imminent-Death , and now, Tri-Wizard competitor – yeah, _that _Harry Potter) looking at me, his green eyes tired behind his round glasses.

"Oh, um..." And, cue the blushing! "Hiya, Harry."

Curse my stupid Weasley genes. I never get a break, do I?

But, Harry – always so sweet! – politely ignored the fact that I was slowly turning into a over-ripe tomato. "Can I join you?"

I nodded, and then ducked my head, hoping to hide the blush. "Sure thing, Harry," I said – quite pathetically, in my opinion.

I had come a long way, I think. Or at least that's what Hermione tells me. I mean, in my first year, I didn't even speak in front of Harry until I woke up in the Chamber. And second year, I managed to get to the "Hullo Harry," stage. But just look at me! Thirteen and able to have a full conversation with minimal blushing! I'm amazing (that was said with sarcasm, if you didn't notice).

Harry proceeded to dump his books onto the table and get a roll of parchment and a quill ready for use. We worked in silence for a few minutes – well, he did, and I pretended to, anyway – until Harry cleared his throat. "So, erm... How're things?"

I bit back a squeak of surprise that he was actually engaging me in a conversation. "Oh! Um, okay, I guess... But, how about you? I mean, you're the one who's being thrust into this horrible competition – which, by the way, I think is so bloody unfair. And those badges! I swear, one more comment, and I'm going to punch Malfoy in his bullocks, the stupid ferret... H-how's your, um... Egg?" I blushed brighter than ever, my rambling speech coming to a pitiful end, complete with stuttering.

Why must I be such an idiot?

Harry stared at me, probably surprised. I mean, I had only ever spoken in short, clipped, one-word sentences around him. Those had to have been the longest – and completely ridiculous – sentences I had ever uttered in his presence.

_Dear Merlin,  
Must you be so cruel? Do think you could succeed in making this anymore awkward?  
Your favorite victim,  
Ginny Weasley _

Just as I was preparing myself to make a run for it, as Harry had been silent and unblinking for much too long to be considered normal (even given our situation), he burst into loud laughter. People stared and I looked on in complete horror.

_Dearest Ginny,  
No problem! And, I am definitely not cruel... I just like to laugh at your misfortune. Shall I continue?  
Sincerely,  
Merlin _

Harry was still laughing, shaking in complete mirth. A part of me felt good that I had made him laugh, but another part (the more intelligent part, obviously) just about died of embarrassment.

_Dear Merlin,  
I hate you. And, as for an answer to your question–NO!  
Loving You In A Similar Manner To Which Ron Loves Spiders,  
Ginny Weasley _

Harry finally stopped laughing and gave me a strange look. "I think that was the first time you've actually spoken to me!" He chuckled and then punched me lightly on the shoulder.

HE.

TOUCHED.

ME.

Cue hysterical screaming.

"Y'know, Ron told me once that you never shut up. I think I just had my first dose of the real Ginny."

My face felt very hot, but I managed to get a smile on my face. "Uh... He-he-he..." I giggled nervously. "Um, yeah..."

We settled into a silence once again, but surprisingly, it wasn't awkward at all. Well, okay, maybe just a bit.

I looked down at my Charms essay and picked my quill back up. "Oh, bloody hell..." I muttered. I pretended to scribble a few words, but then Harry decided to speak again.

"Um, Ginny," he started awkwardly. I kept my eyes on my parchment.

_... Pronunciation is the key to... _

"Yes?"

_...Performing a charm correctly... _

"About the Yule Ball..."

I sucked in a sharp breath and looked up, dropping my quill. "Huh?" I said blankly, my eyes wide and unblinking.

This could not be happening... There's no way... That this would ever happen...

I think I was hyperventilating...

"Do... Do you happen to – Um, erm..." Harry was clearly uncomfortable.

I tried not to get too worked up. "Harry, just say it..." I prompted, looking at him with my eyebrows raised.

I'm _such _a great actress.

"Okay... Um, d-do you know if Cho C-Chang has a date for the ball?"

My heart stopped beating, I swear. And then it dropped to the floor in a pathetic heap.

"Cho Chang?" I asked, feeling very stupid. Of course he wasn't going to ask me! Why would he? I'm just Ron's little sister–no one _special! _

Harry nodded, looking very anxious. "Have you heard anything? I mean, girls talk about things like this, right? Gossiping and all that..." He blushed and shrugged his shoulders, clearly embarrassed, but still looked very hopeful – and damn it, cute.

"Um..." I said. Very eloquent, if I do say so myself... "I don't know, Harry. I'm sorry, but I really have no idea." It was the truth. I hadn't heard anything about bloody Cho Chang.

Harry looked disappointed. "Oh... That's... That's..." He sighed and rubbed his face. "Okay." He slumped back in his chair and pouted, something which I felt was very irritating – and (sort of) endearing.

"Oh, in the name of Merlin's saggy Y-fronts, Harry!" I yelled, my face turning red, this time in anger. "If you want to ask her," I continued, standing up and gathering my things together. "THEN JUST BLOODY DO IT!"

I then stormed out of the library, trying to stop the angry tears from forming in my eyes, leaving Harry staring after me, gaping like a (very attractive) fish.

I'm sure that it would have been a spectacular dramatic exit – if I hadn't tripped and sprawled out on the floor about five paces away from the door.

_My Sweet And Dreadfully Naive Ginny,  
You should know by now not to ever doubt me. I always get the last say in these types of things!  
Yours Truly,  
Merlin_

_P.S. I'm very sorry to inform you that I do not own a pair of saggy Y-fronts, dear child... The things children come up with these days!_

* * *

**_A/N: Well, this chapter is officially done! Ill have the next one up in about two days:) Look alive!_**


	2. Chapter 2: In Which I Accept A Date

I hid in my room for about a week. Hermione said that I really should just go and apologize. My answer to that was, "I BLOODY WELL DON'T THINK SO!"

I didn't really do anything wrong. I mean, yeah, I got angry and yelled, but hey, I'm a Weasley. What else is new?

And besides, Harry had just taken my heart, threw it on the nasty, library floor and stomped on it.

Repeatedly.

I was at perfect liberty to do whatever I'd like. And if that meant brood over Harry Potter, then I was going to effing brood over Harry Potter, and I told as much to Hermione.

"But, Ginny," she said. "Don't you think you should... I don't know... Get over him? I mean, you can't let your feelings for Harry rule your life. You have to live without those feelings clouding your path." I bet she read a book on it.

"No." I said, rolling my eyes. "Stop trying to tell me what to do. You're _clouding my path._"

Hermione huffed. "You don't have to get all sassy with me, Ginny. I'm just trying to help." I groaned and flopped over in my stomach, playing with the hangings on my bed. "Viktor Krum asked me to the ball."

I sat straight up and gaped at her, much like a goldfish, I am told. "Why the bloody hell would he do that?!" I screeched.

Hermione frowned at me, a blush covering her cheeks. "Well, why not? I mean... Yes, he's older than me and—and I know I'm not all that pretty, but I..." I have her a look that clearly said 'shut up—NOW.'

"Shut your trap, 'Mione." I said, rolling my eyes. "Of course you're pretty! Damn gorgeous! I didn't mean it like that... Sorry. It just surprised me is all."

"Oh, alright!" Hermione said, a small smile on her lips. "He asked me in the library."

"Ah," I said, smirking. "Your natural habitat — of course!"

Hermione swatted at me, laughing. "Shut it, you! He... Viktor is always in there... And, well..."

"So are you." I finished for her. "It makes perfect sense, really. And, I bet you never fawn over him like all the other bints out there. It's appealing."

Like you do with Harry…

Shut up, brain! I don't fawn over Harry!

Hermione nodded absently. "Yeah..."

I could tell her mind had taken her elsewhere, so I fell back against my bed again. At least one if us gets her fairy-tale ending. If you could call Krum a prince…

If only Harry would get his act together and realize that I'm not just 'the youngest Weasley.'

Hermione took one look at me, waved a hand in front of my face, shrugged when I ignored her, and then quietly exited the room, leaving me dwindling in the Land of If Only.

* * *

I was sitting in the common room, reading a stupid romance novel that I had stolen from one of my roommates. I wasn't into it.

I chucked it across the room and hit a little first year in the back of the head. He (I think his name was Greg, or something like that) whimpered and tried to make a run for it, but he rammed into a studious-looking fifth year, who had an arm full of books. Tina (the fifth year) swore loudly and dropped her heavy volumes, which tumbled onto a table, knocking over some random sixth year's ink-well, dousing everyone within a three-foot radius in rainbow-colored ink.

"WHAT THE - ?!" The sixth ear screeched. "MY ESSAY! IT TOOK ME FIVE BLOODY HOURS TO WRITE THAT!" Then, everyone involved (save for me) started yelling and throwing insults around.

I winced at the domino effect and started to inch my way out of the common room before anyone could point out that it was my fault. Eight to one doesn't seem like it would have a good outcome. I was almost to the portrait hole when I heard it.

"GINNY!" someone yelled. I froze, gritting my teeth and fingering my wand. Well, I wasn't about to give in that easily. If I was to go down, I was going down fighting. "GINNY, WAIT UP!" The voice yelled again.

I heaved a sigh and spun around, my wand inches from the perpetrator's face. "Neville?" I asked, relieved, lowering my wand. "Oh, thank Merlin it's you. I thought it was one of those barmy people over there set on revenge… Er, you're not _one of them_ are you?" I had just noticed that Neville was covered, from head to toe - literally - in shiny rainbow ink. I raised my wand again. I could take Neville any day of the week!

"Uh, no…" Neville said, shifting awkwardly. "I, um, just wanted to talk to you…"

"Oh, okay then. What's up?" I asked casually. I wonder how long it'll take for all that ink to come off…

"Oh, uh… Well, you see… I, um… I asked H-Hermione to the ball." Neville choked out.

I raised my eyebrows in surprise. "Oh… She's going with someone else, isn't she? She told me that K - um, that they asked her just yesterday."

"Yeah, I know," Neville said, miserably. "She's just told me." He pointed to where she was sitting, and I glanced over to see Hermione (devoid of any ink, thankfully) glance up at me and smile encouragingly.

"Oh…?" I couldn't see where Neville had been attempting to take his ramblings, so I clapped him on the shoulder and said bracingly, "Well, sorry about that then, Nev. I'm sure you'll find someone to go with you by the time of the dance." I smiled in a friendly way and made to step towards to portrait hole. I could see Tina eyeing me from across the room - and it was quite scary, actually.

"Wait!" Neville said, hurriedly. "Um, well, I was… Just wondering if, maybe…" he trailed off uncertainly and mumbled something unintelligible.

"I'm sorry," I said, my brow wrinkling. "What was that?"

"Wouldyaliballwidme?" Neville said in a rush. He stood there in front of me, as still as a statue (I think he was holding his breath…) and very wide-eyed. I'm sure that underneath all that multi-colored gunk he was blushing, but unfortunately I couldn't tell.

"Um…" I still had little to no idea what Neville was talking about. I glanced around me, hoping to find an escape route, when my eyes landed on Hermione once more.

"Go on," she mouthed. "Say yes!" And, that was the final piece to the gigantic puzzle.

"OH! Are you asking me to the ball, Neville?" I asked, kindly. Neville nodded, looking very relieved that he didn't have to repeat himself. "Well," I said haltingly, my thoughts straying to Harry before I could help it.

_NO!_ I scolded myself. _He wants to ask Cho Chang, not you! And, besides, you want to be _friends_, remember? _FRIENDS_! JUST SAY YES, YOU IDIOT! You won't get to go otherwise and Neville is nice enough when he can actually formulate sentences…_

"Alright, then." I finally said. "I'd love to go with you." He beamed and let out a humongous sigh of relief.

"Okay, so - er, yeah. That's… just, um... yeah," he fumbled, his grin never faltering. "See you later, Ginny!" And with that he sprinted out of the Common Room, leaving me smiling amusedly.

That smile vanished as soon as it had come, as I spied Tina, Greg, and many other rainbow people advancing towards me with menacing glares and sadistic smiles. With a strangled war cry, I launched myself out of the portrait hole, after Neville. "SAVE ME, HERMIONE!"

But, alas! my last glance of the Common Room before the portrait slammed closed was of Hermione, rolling her eyes as she turned back to the book in her hands.


	3. Chapter 3: In Which I Am Called A Twerp

As I was running away from the crazed rainbow-people faster than Ron runs towards food — which is quite fast, by the way — I ran past my Ravenclaw friend, Luna Lovegood. She was skipping along merrily with her long blonde hair in its usual disarray, radish earrings swinging, and her wand tucked behind her ear.

"Hullo Ginny," she said in her airy voice, as if I wasn't running a million kilometres a minute in the opposite direction. "You shouldn't be running in the corridors. You'll disturb the jacklespurts."

I skidded to a halt and stared at her for a moment. She stared right back with wide blue eyes. "Erm... Hello there, Luna…" I glanced behind me fearfully. They were still a ways behind me, as I had taken a shortcut that Fred and George had shown me, but I could still vaguely hear their shouts of, 'Where'd she go?!' and 'Let's head this way!'

"Jacklespurts are really very friendly, Ginny. You shouldn't be so afraid of them," she continued, fingering her butterbeer cork necklace and adopting a tone scarily similar to my mother's when she was about to start a lecture.

"Oh... Okay," I said uncertainly. "Well, I'm actually trying to hide from a group of murderous rainbow-Gryffindors, too... So, I'd better go..." I could hear them. They were getting close.

They'll never get me alive!

"You can hide in here," she said, opening a nearby broom cupboard. "I won't tell them."

I blinked in surprise. I hadn't even known there was a broom cupboard there. "Um, thanks Luna. You're a lifesaver."

"Thank you," Luna said politely, as I climbed into the cupboard. "I do try to be a nice friend."

"You're a great friend, Luna." I said sincerely. She is, honest! Yeah, it's a given, she is a little strange, but she's a very nice person once you get past her various oddities.

She grinned hugely at me before quietly closing the door. I held my breath for a few minutes, listening closely, as footsteps approached the broom cupboard. "Oi," a voice yelled. "Lovegood!"

"Are you aware that your skin is multicolored?" Luna's voice drifted back to me.

I grinned as I heard a low growling noise. "Er, yes. That's why we're here... Have you seen a little red-haired and freckled twerp go by?"

A twerp? Well, gee! I'm so offended.

And then another voice, "About this tall?" I figured they were gesturing with their hands.

"No, I'm afraid I haven't..." Luna said. "You're infested by nargles, you know. Don't worry though. They're perfectly harmless."

"Um..." There were a few coughs and a spluttering, choking sound followed by a few moments of silence. The awkwardness practically seeped through the broom cupboard door.

"What are nargles?"

"Well, they-" Luna started, but then was cut off.

"We don't have time for this, Lovegood. Let us know if you see Weasley, will you?" At that point, I was pretty sure that the voice was, in fact, Tina.

That cow!

There was a few beats of silence, then Luna said in a very convincing voice, "Well, I do hope you find Ginny. I'm sure she would love your company."

Like hell I would!

There were a few mumbled goodbyes, then their loud footsteps started to sound farther and farther away. Unfortunately, their voices were still as loud as ever.

"Who was that?" someone asked, in a weirdly strangled voice. "She's a bit…"

"_Loony?_" another snickered.

"Well, they do call her Loony Lovegood for a reason." Tina said.

Cue the creeping fantasy about stringing these people up by their undergarments, ripping hair follicles out one-by-one, and then writing embarrassing things about them in the bathroom stalls!

When their footsteps faded, Luna knocked on the door. "You can come out now, Ginny. They're gone."

"Thanks," I said. I stood up and brushed off my robes. "How can you stand it, Luna?"

"Stand what?" She cocked her head to the side and peered at me curiously.

"Y'know... the name calling and all that," I said, uncomfortably. I had to admit, I had called her 'Loony Lovegood' once or twice. Almost no one ever called her by her actual name. Thinking about it made me feel sufficiently guilty.

"I ignore it." Luna shrugged and smiled (a bit too knowingly) at me, making me squirm. "They don't know me. They're intimidated by something they don't understand. It's quite a common occurrence, you know." I stared at her. Coming from Luna, it was quite deep and surprising. "I think the nargles have something to do with it."

"Nargles?" I chuckled as she nodded sagely. What are they, exactly?"

"Well, they infest mistletoe."

"Uh, okay then." I glanced at her. She was smiling a bit sadly. "It's the nargles."

* * *

Later that week, I entered the common room to find a surprising sight. No, sadly, Ron and Hermione hadn't finally come to their senses and weren't snogging each other's brains out.

That was quite a conflicting thought for me at that time, honestly. While, I held the opinion that they were both complete dunderheads with extremely thick skulls and are absolutely perfect for each other, I honestly don't think I could've watched them kiss without barfing up all of my innards.

But I digress.

What I was seeing made me skid to a halt. My idiot brother (Ron, of course! Who else?) was sprawled out on the floor and wailing pathetically to anyone who would listen. A few second year girls looked terrified and were trying to edge away from him when I finally walked over to him. "Ron? What are you doing on the floor?"

"Ginny!" he cried, throwing his arms around my legs and making me stagger in surprise. "Ginny, I've done something _terrible_ and now I'm going to DIE!"

I looked down at his pitiful form, bemused. "What did you do?"

Knowing Ron, it probably had something to do with either a girl, or food. He smashed his face into the carpet and mumbled something unintelligible and muffled.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" I hauled him up and shoved him in a chair. "Say that again, now that you don't have a face full of floor."

"Isortofmightaveaskd — FLEUR DELACOUR — totheyulball." he said, wincing as if preparing himself for a blow.

Now, I, fortunately, had had much experience when it came to trying to figure out what was said when boys spew their word vomit all over the place. I had no trouble whatsoever discerning his words. Of course, the way he screamed 'FLEUR DELACOUR!' with a horrified and pained expression _might've_ helped, as well.

"You asked Fleur to the ball?" I asked incredulously. Ron nodded, slumping in his chair. "Why the bloody hell would you do that, Ron?" I groaned, feeling sorry for my brother, despite his idiotic predicament.

Why must us Weasley be prone to such idiotic tendencies? WHY MERLIN?

"I don't know!" Ron cried, throwing his hands up in the air. "She didn't even answer me!"

I rubbed his arm sympathetically. "Uh... It's alright, Ron. She's an arrogant cow, anyway. She's stuck up and snooty... and cares about nothing other than her perfect hair." I wrinkled my nose and tried to keep my voice soothing instead of revolted. "She's too good for us Weasleys," I said sarcastically and Ron groaned, dropping his head in his hands. "Seriously, Ron, don't waste your time brooding on this. She's not worth it."

Ron just groaned again.

Well, no one can say I didn't try.

To make things about a million times worse, I saw Harry walking towards us. _Oh no, _I groaned mentally. I was sure to make a fool of myself.

"Hi, Ron, Ginny," Harry said, as he drew near. He brushed his hair out of his eyes and smiled.

Damn, why did he have to be so attractive? I mean, its already hard enough, trying to get over him... But did he have to smile like that?

My heart beat faster and I felt a smile of my own form on my face. And, DAMN IT, a blush starting as well. Hopefully it wasn't _too _noticeable.

After a horrifyingly awful conversation wherein Harry and I were sufficiently embarrassed and Hermione became pissed, I made my way towards the Great Hall slowly, brooding over my bad luck and cursing my idiot brother.

I mean, I know Ron's never been the brightest quill of the lot, but seriously?! He just had to go and ruin a perfectly good day by telling Harry to take me to the ball! Really, why would Harry want to go with _me? _

Oh, yeah, because he'd just been turned down by Cho bloody Chang, that's why! And when Harry had looked at me expectantly, what did I do? I turned him down! Because of _Neville! _If only I hadn't already accepted Neville's offer...

_Well, my life officially sucks._


	4. Chapter 4: In Which Fate Is Screwy

The Yule Ball had actually been quite fun. Well, as fun as dancing about with _Neville_ can get. I think I might've broken a few toes, to be honest. But he was a perfect gentleman and even let me (not that it would have stopped me otherwise) dance with a few other guys.

One boy in particular, Michael Corner, was very nice. He had even asked me to the next Hogsmeade weekend. I told him I'd have to do a rain-check, as every time I attempted to say yes a very vibrant picture of Harry kept popping up into my mind.

The last few times my fantasy occurred, Harry had been sopping wet, having just emerged from the lake, and was shaking the water from his hair sexily.

It was torture. Worse than being faced with a twenty foot high pile of waffles and being able to eat any of them!

Yeah, it was that bad.

"But," Michael had said confusedly, when I had used the same rain excuse for about the third time. "It's not supposed to rain."

I had tried to avoid him for the next months, with more than a few close calls.

I had figured that he was either stupid (and therefore put into the wrong house) or he hadn't taken Muggle Studies... Or that Michael simply didn't have a muggleborn genius as his best friend. Cough, cough - Hermione!

Well, I guess not everyone could be as lucky as me.

Or unlucky.

I looked down at the hand Hermione was currently crushing in her ninja-grip. "Blimey, Hermione! Loosen up a wee bit, yeah?" I complained, trying to pull my crushed fingers from hers.

"Oh, Merlin, Ginny!" she swung her head around to look at me, whipping me in the face with her bushy brown hair, and still not releasing my hand. "I'm so sorry! I'm just so-"

"Worried," Ron finished for her, looking equally miserable. "Yeah, we know."

It was June the twenty-fourth and we were in the stands of the quidditch pitch, looking down at the maze that covered my beloved pitch. Harry had been in there for about five minutes, and Hermione had started squeezing my hand ten minutes before that. I think my hand was turning purple.

Just lovely, no?

"Yeah, well, I'm worried, too a highly inaccurate play-by-play, I might add (because I'm pretty sure that the mer-people didn't torture them with seaweed before hanging them up by their toes over a pit of lava).

I rolled my eyes and settled in to my seat, my eyes swiveling to random things, like Professor Moody and his very creepy eye (who was prowling near the outskirts of the maze, probably keeping an eye on things), and a very awkward looking bird who seemed to be nesting in Luna's hair... Or was that a hat?

About an hour passed before I heard Bill speak, "Looks like it'll be a Hogwarts victory either way."

I nodded absently, still squinting at Luna's hat. It took a minute for the meaning to sink in. "Wait, what?! What do you mean by that?" I looked around frantically as if expecting the answer to my question to be hovering above my head or hiding in Hermione's bush - Oh, erm, I mean... Hair. Hair, not bush...

"Krum and Delacour are out - have been for ages. Haven't you been paying attention?" Hermione asked me with a weird look.

"Oh, er..." I shrugged, trying not to look guilty for calling her hair a bush (and also for not paying attention). "Yeah, I knew that. Psshh! Of course I did!" I moved my gaze to the other side of the stands and started to count the people.

One...

Two...

Three...

Yeah, I could've done that all day, but I finally just felt my patience leave me - kind of like deflating a balloon! "Blah," I commented loudly. "This is boring. I could go for some pie right about now."

"Ginevra Weasley!" My mum scolded, looking cross. I honestly didn't understand what I had done wrong. "Stop it."

I shrugged and turned to Ron. "You feel like making a trip to the kitchens?" He got a weird look on his face as if weighing his options and opened his mouth to speak when a few screams rippled through the crowd, the loudest from Cho Chang, who was just a few seats away. She had tears streaming down her cheeks and was looking in open mouthed horror at something on the field. I followed her gaze confusedly and felt a scream of my own rip through my throat.

Harry was in the middle of the field, clutching the Tri-Wizard Cup...

... And the dead body of Cedric Diggory.


	5. Chapter 5: In Which I Reach A Conclusion

A/N: Hey, everybody! I hope you enjoy these:) I just recently updated the chapters. It was missing a part for some odd reason. Enjoy!

Cheers,

Ella

* * *

It had been pandemonium.

I had been forced to go with the twins to Gryffindor Tower as Ron, Hermione, Bill, and my mum went off into the crowd to find Harry, who seemed to have been dragged off by Moody.

The Common Room had been full of sobbing and hysterical students, as everyone that had been down by the stands (save for Ron and Hermione who were with my mum) had been told to head to their 'designated areas.' After a while it dwindled down to just a few random scared-looking third years, Fred, George, and lastly, me. Most everyone had gone up to their dormitories and I could still vaguely hear the sobs coming from the girls' staircase.

I was on the couch, staring into the fire, Fred and George on either side of me, unmoving as they had been for the last hour. The same picture kept flashing in my mind: Harry on the ground, unmoving and clutching a lifeless Cedric.

Over and over it kept coming. Again and again...

I squeezed my eyes shut and stood up. "Okay, this is stupid!" I said loudly. "I'm going to find the others! It's not fair that while they're with Harry, we're stuck here - doing nothing!"

Fred and George shared a look. "Uh, Ginny," George said. "I don't think that's a very good idea."

"Yeah," Fred agreed. "What if something happens? Mum'll never forgive us."

"Something's already happened, you idiots! Cedric is dead! And Harry - he could be dying for all we know!" I shouted, angrily. I took out my wand and pointed it at them menacingly. "Now, which one of you idiots wants to accompany me, your lovely-" I glared at them and paused as if daring them to disagree, which they didn't, lucky enough for them. "-sister to the damned hospital wing?"

Fred and George exchanged another look, which I thought was extremely annoying. Their 'twin talk' normally bothered me on a small scale, but now it gave me a deep sense of irritation.

'JUST STOP! IT'S CREEPY,' I wanted to scream.

Then Fred shrugged as if to say, 'What the hell? What's there to lose?'

Oh, you know, just my sanity hanging in the balance, here.

Or maybe your manhood if Mum's in a bad enough mood...

No biggie.

George looked at me, his normally grinning face unusually grim. "Lead the way, little sister."

When we approached the hospital wing door, Madame Pomphrey was there and glaring at us in a way uncannily like Madame Pince, the librarian. Which was strange because normally she was relatively friendly and nice. But then again, this day had been shit for all of us. I don't think anyone was in a good mood.

I shivered, squirming under her gaze.

What? It was scary!

"No visitors," she said in a hard voice, her eyes glinting with something that looked suspiciously like tears.

"But, I need to see Harry!" I cried out, ignoring the twins who were mumbling an apology of some sort that had something to do with an evil love-sick sister (who was NOT me) and a bat-bogey hex (which was on its way, believe me).

Madam Pomphrey opened her mouth to say something, probably something along the lines of 'Too bad,' or 'I said no visitors' but she was cut off by an unearthly screech.

"Ginny!" My mum exclaimed, rushing over to me past the annoyed and obviously upset looking healer. "Are you alright? What's happened? Is everything okay? Are you hurt?!"

"I'm fine, Mum," I said dully, allowing her to lead me over to the hospital bed that Hermione, Bill, and Ron were huddled around. Fred and George followed us at their own pace, looking relieved that I was the one being squeezed to death and not them. "Really," I added when Mum cast a suspicious glance towards the twins.

Those prats.

"How's Harry?" I asked, my eyes on the boy, who, as we came closer, I saw was fast asleep. On the bedside table I saw a glimpse of an empty bottle and I knew it wasn't a natural sleep.

Ron gave me a sad smile and a sort of half-shrug as I sat down in a chair close to Harry's bed.

"He'll recover," Hermione said softly, tears in her eyes and seemed to be clenching something tightly in her fist. "He's not in good shape, though." Harry did, indeed look a little worse for wear, with his blood-covered arm and scratches adorning his face.

"What happened?" It was not me, but George. He was upset, looking like how I remember Bill or Charlie looking if I had gotten hurt as a little kid, and a lot like the way everyone acted after the Chamber. George was looking at Harry like a brother, like how he would look if it were Fred in hat hospital bed, or Ron, or even Percy. I didn't need to look around to see that everyone else had very similar looks upon their faces.

Harry, over the past years had become more than just Ron's little friend or my crush. He had become family. To Ron, the twins, my parents, everyone. Even me, though in a different way (I doubt I'll ever be able to call him a brother).

"He's back," Bill said, looking me right in the eye, his voice wavering slightly.

I had a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. It couldn't be true. My gaze strayed back to Harry and I felt my horror grow. It couldn't be true. "W-what do y-you mean 'he's back?'"

But I knew. Of course I did! I had always known.

Always.

"I think he means, Ms. Weasley, that Voldemort has been resurrected," a voice said from behind me. I turned around quickly and met the clear blue eyes that gazed at me from behind the half-moon spectacles.

They weren't twinkling - not even a bit.

"No," I said, almost pleading. It just couldn't be true. "Not him?"

"I am afraid, Ginny, that Tom Riddle has indeed found a way to return." Dumbledore said, looking down at me with those blue eyes so full of pity, or something similar.

It disgusted me - made me feel sick to my stomach.

I turned away, hugging myself. "How?" I asked in a voice stronger than I really felt. "How did he do it?"

And then Albus Dumbledore proceeded to tell my surrounding family and I exactly how the Dark Lord gained a body.

* * *

I don't cry.

Not in front of people, anyway.

It makes me feel weak and I don't like it. Not one little bit.

So, the end-of-the-year feast was a complete drag. I felt like crying the whole entire time. Crying for Cedric. For his family. For all the other trouble and death that I knew was coming... For Harry.

He had been through so much already! Why did he of all people have to go through this? Why Harry - the orphan who was famous for a scar and the loss of his parents?

It didn't make much sense to me, honestly. Not one little bit.

And so, as I stood in my empty dormitory for the last time that year, I came up with a thought. A bloody brilliant one, if you ask me.

It went a bit like this: life isn't fair. Merlin, fate, or whoever's in charge of the damned hellhole we call our universe... Well, they enjoy screwing people over.

It was a simple observation - a fact, not an opinion.

"Ginny," Hermione said quietly, coming to sit on the edge of my bed.

I gave a start. I hadn't even noticed she was there. "Oh! 'Lo, 'Mione," I mumbled. "How's it?"

"Not so good, actually," Hermione said, frowning. "Everything is so messed up."

"Not everything can be books and schedules, Hermione."

"I know," she sighed. "Be nice though, wouldn't it? If life followed a schedule... Nothing would ever go wrong... All nice and - and orderly."

"Be loads of crap, if you ask me. What'd happen to the fun?" I sat down on one of my roommates's beds.

"It'd be scheduled," Hermione mumbled, her lips turning upward just the tiniest bit. There were a few beats of silence, then - "What are you going to do?"

"What do you mean?" I blinked confusedly.

"About Michael - your not-really-boyfriend. He's asked me again about whether you had said anything about his offer - just last night, actually. It's getting rather annoying, honestly."

I blinked again. I had been thinking, but I wasn't sure if I was doing to right thing. I walked over to the window and gazed out over the grounds. A few minutes passed and Hermione stayed silent, to which I was extremely grateful.

If she'd spoken, I'd have probably punched her in the face.

It was then that I not so much came to my decision as voiced it. "I-I'm going to say yes." It was barely loud enough for myself to hear, but Hermione probably knew the answer before she asked.

She has an annoying habit of doing that.

"Harry... He's just - I... Well, I think it's time for me to give up my silly little crush. I want to be friends with him... I think," I said slowly, glancing at Hermione. "That he's going to need all the friends he can get."


	6. Chapter 6: In Which I Meet A Convict

A/N: Hey, all! Hope you enjoy reading this one:) Don't worry, more is coming. I'm almost done with chapter eight, and then I'll be updating! And, uh… Maybe, if you review, I'll be more motivated and finish sooner… Just a thought… :)

* * *

Maybe I wouldn't have freaked out if Mum had just told me that we were going to live with a convict.

I mean, seriously? Did no one think to tell me that Sirius Black was innocent and Harry's godfather who just so happened to be very friendly? I probably wouldn't have taken him out with a slide tackle if I had just known.

But, thats my family for ya. No one cares to tell little Ginny Weasley these important happenings!

Percy chooses his job over his family? Why tell her?

Ron ate the last of her cereal? She got there too late, so why waste the oxygen?

Harry's godfather innocent? Psshh! She doesn't need to know!

Yes, these are the things that Ginny Weasley - me - was not aware of.

It took about two days for me to find out about Percy. I had been outside riding my broom when the big 'episode' happened.

My cereal? Well, Ron paid dearly for that when I woke up expecting to have cereal and found the box empty.

And Sirius? Well, I found out when Fred and George had to pry me off of him and tie me up in a dusty chair to keep me from trying to do some not-so-nice things to him.

And then I spent the rest of the day trying to apologize, my face permanently red. It was just dandy - a real great time! Luckily, Sirius thought it was amusing and went on to tease me for the rest of that week, hiding or jumping in mock terror whenever I entered the room or he saw on the stairs.

My mum, however, seemed determined to punish me for giving our 'gracious enough host' a black eye. She had all of us kids (and occasionally Sirius) cleaning the house - which was disgusting - from top to bottom. To say the very least, I was pissed.

Ron was constantly getting on my nerves, talking about Hermione and whether or not she went to visit 'Vicky' in Bulgaria. It was always 'Hermione, Hermione, HERMIONE' with Ron around. I wanted to just smack him - repeatedly - and scream from the top of my lungs, "RON, GET YOURSELF TOGETHER! STOP HARPING ON ABOUT HERMIONE AND JUST SNOG HER ALREADY!"

I only got the chance once or twice and was then forbidden to stick any of the house's occupant to the ceiling by their underwear. Because, _apparently_, according to my mum, that is wrong and unladylike. And, she also said if I lost my temper once more then I would be forced to do all of the cleaning for the rest of the months we're here.

So, I was extremely happy when Hermione finally showed up after three grueling weeks of trying to hold back from strangling Ron.

"Hermione!" I practically pounced on her. "THANK MERLIN YOU'RE HERE!" We were in Ron's room because there was an order meeting going on and Mum had barricaded us in with threats of no dinner. It was enough to keep us in the room.

I like to eat, what can I say?

She let out a squeak of surprise and said in a strangled voice, "Ginny, I think you're suffocating me!"

I let go of her and she massaged her ribs as I continued. "I thought I was going to die with only this git-"

I pointed to Ron who let out a bark of displeasure. "OI!"

"-and the twins to talk to! Sirius's mum is always screaming - the old bat - and Ron won't shut up about you, I tackled Sirius and almost killed him because no one told me he was part of the Order, and Snape was here last week and called me a _freckly toe rag!_ Kreacher insults us every time he comes out of whatever hole he lives in, Fred and George made Mum go 'round the bend because they won't stop doing everything with magic, and I stuck Ron to the ceiling and now Mum's threatening to make me _clean!_ Hermione, I seriously thought I was going to DIE!" I was sucked in a deep breath, and ignoring the expression on Hermione's face and hugged her again.

"Uh..." Hermione looked confused as she tried to pry herself out of my grasp.

"'Mione, you don't know the horrors I've gone through!" I let out a mock sob and Hermione looked at me worriedly, patting my back.

"Er," Hermione shot a glance at Ron, who rolled his eyes. "It'll be alright, Ginny."

"Well, it will be now that you're here. At least Ron will stop whining," I adopted a voice very close to Ron's annoying timber, and congratulated myself on my awesome skills. "'Ginny, do you think she's okay? Do you think she visited Krum? When is she coming? Giiinnnnnyyyy! Do you think she fancies Vicky?'" I snorted and then looked around at them, both now blushing different shades of red. "Well, I promised Fred and George I'd pay them a visit, so I'll see you lot later! Bye!"

And then I skipped merrily out of the room, leaving my brother and Hermione staring awkwardly at each other.

They're so going to get married.

Anyway, I hadn't been lying when I had said Fred and George had wanted to talk to me. So, with a grin I creeped up the creaky stairs and entered their room - cautiously, mind you.

"Hullo, Fred, George! Hermione's..." I trailed off and looked at the sight in front of me in shock. "What the hell are those?" Fred and George both were clutching long flesh colored objects in their hands.

"Ah, Ginny," George ushered me in with a wave of his hand, while Fred flicked his wand slamming the door shut behind me. "Just the lass we wanted to see!" I rolled my eyes at the unnessicary bit of magic. "Mum's going to cut you into small bits and feed you to Buckbeak - I heard her say it. You're driving her insane with all your apparating down the stairs and hovering charms on the butter."

"All in a day's work, little sister!" Fred said merrily. "All in a day's work!"

"Yes, well, I don't think any of us will be able to stop her the next time she attempts it," I said, ignoring their grinning exterior. "But enough of that, what's that you've got?"

"Well, Ginny, this is our newest-" George started out saying with a proud smile, gesturing dramatically to the fleshy thing.

"And most useful!" Fred added in.

"-creation! Behold! the Extendable Ear!" George held it out for me to take.

"Oh," I said, cocking my head to get a better look at it. "Is that what you're calling them? What do they do?" I glanced at them in turn and stopped my hand halfway towards the flesh colored string. "It won't strangle me or something, will it?"

"Why, Ginny! Don't you trust us enough to know we would never do something like that?" Fred looked aghast.

"Especially to our dear, sweet and ickle, innocent little Gin-Gin - that we just love so much!" George cried. "I'm so offended!"

Yeah, right.

_Never_ trust a sarcastic Weasley.


End file.
